The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-11-25

large proportion of the sheep owned by
the farmers throughout the country are
found in small hocks, numbering from
twenty-five to fifty. The duty on the
grade of imported wool which these sheep
yield Is 10 cents each pound II Of the value
OF 30 cents or less, and 10 cents II OF the
value of more than 30 cents. II the liberal
estimate of six pounds be allowed for
each fleece, the duty thereon would be go
or 7e cents, and this may be taken as the
utmost enhancement of its price to
the farmer by reason of this duty.
Eighteen dollars would thus repre-
sent the increased price of the wool from
twenty five sheep and $50 that from the
wool OF fifty sheep, and at present values
this addition would amount to about one
third Of its price. If upon it's sale the
farmer receives this or less tariff profit,
the wool leaves his hands charged
with precisely that sum, which in all the
changes viii adhere to it, until it reaches
the consumer. When manufactured into
cloth and other goods and material for
use, its cost is not only increased to the
extent of the farmers tariff profit, but
futher sum has been added for
The Profit of the Manufacturer
under the operation of the tariff laws In
the meantime the day arrives when the
farmer finds 1t necessary to purchase
wooden goods and material to clothe him.
self and family for the winter. When he
faces the tradesmen for that purpose he
discovers that he is obliged not only to
return in the way Of increased prices his
tariff profit on the wool he sold, and
which then perhaps lies before him
in manufactured form, but that he
must add considerable sum
thereto TO meet q further increase
in cost caused by tariff duty on the
manufacture. Thus in the end he is
aroused to the fact that he has paid upon
moderate purchase as result Of the
tariff scheme, which, when he sold his
wool seemed so profitable, an increase in
price more than sufficient to sweep away
all the tariff profit he received upon the
wool he produced and sold. When the
number of farmers engaged in wool
raising is compared with all the farmers
In the country, and the small proportion
they bear to, our population is considered;
when it is made apparent that, In the
case of large part of those who own
sheep, the benefit of the present tariff on
wool is illusofy, and, above all, when it
An0Sb OC OOuCCdC0 LutJ LIC 1uCISd60
of the cost of living caused by
such tariff becomes a burden upon
those with moderate means and the poor,
the employed and unemployed, the sick
and well, and the young, and old, and
that it constitutes tax which, with re-
lentless grasp, is fastened upon the cloth
ing of every man, woman and child in
the land, reasons are suggested why the
removal or reduction of this duty should
be included in a revision of our tariff
laws. In speaking of the increased cost
to the consumer of our home manufac-
lures, resulting from a duty laid upon
imported articles of the same description,
the fact is not overlooked that competi-
ton among our domestic producers
sometimes has the effect of keeping the
price Of their products below the highest
limit allowed by such duty. But it is
notorious that this competition is
Too Often strangied by Combinations
quite prevalent at this time, and FREE
quently called trusts, which have for
their object the regulation of the supply
and price of commodities made and sold
by members of the combination. The
people can hardly hope for any considera-,
ton in the operation of these selfish
II. however, in the absence of such
combination, q healthy and free compe-
tition reduces the price of any dutiable
article of home production below the
limit which it might otherwise reach
under our tariff laws, and If, with such
reduced price, its manufacture continue
to thrive, it is entirely evident that one
thing has been discovered which should
be carefully scrutinized in an effort TO
reduce taxation.
The necessity of combination to main
tain the price of any commodity to the
tariff point, furnishes proof that some
one is willing to accept lower prices for
such commodity, and that such prices are
remunerative; and lower prices produced
by competition prove the same thing.
Thus, where either of these conditions
exist, a case would seem to be presented
for an easy reduction of taxation.
The considerations which have been
presented touching our tariff laws are in
tended only TO enforce an earnest recon-
mendation that the surplus revenues of
the government be prevented by the re
ductiOn of our custom duties and, at the
same time, to emphasize suggestion
that in accomplishing this purpose we
may discharge double duty to our peo-
~ dhbiAA8 btlCih iAlSdouIc Vi T6iI6I
from tariff taxation in quarters where IL
is most needed and from sources where it
can be most fairly and justly accorded.
Nor can the presentation made Of such
considerations be, with any degree Of
fairness, regarded as evidence of I'M
friendliness toward our manufacturing
interests or of any
Lack ofAppreciation of Their yaIne
and importance. These interests con-
stitute leading and most substantial
element of our national greatness and
furnish the proud proof of our country's
progress But if in the emergency that
presses upon us our manufacturers
are asked to surrender some
thing for the public good and
avert disaster, their patriotism, as
well as a grateful recognition of advant-
ages already afforded, should lead them
TO willing cooperation. No demand is
made that they shall forego all the bene
fits of governmental regard; but they
cannot fail to be admonished of their duty
as well as their enlightened sels-interest
and safety, when they are reminded Of the
fact that financial panic and collapse, to
which the present condition tends, affords
no greater shelter or protection TO our
manufactures than to other important en-
terprises. Opportunity for safe, careful
and deliberate reform is now0ffered; and
none of us should be unmindful of
time when an abused and irritated peo-
pie, needless of those who have resisted